Taylor Swift, Madonna, Tinashe Lead New Music Friday
A wave of new music arrives from Taylor Swift, Madonna, Charli xcx, Tinashe, and Kenny Chesney, featuring bonus tracks, collaborations, and full albums
Taylor Swift, Madonna, Charli xcx, Tinashe, and Kenny Chesney all released new music this week. The fresh tracks include bonus material, high-profile collaborations, and studio albums from established and emerging artists.
Taylor Swift released 'Patient Zero' as one of four new bonus tracks from The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore. Madonna and Charli xcx collaborated on a new version of 'Danceteria Afterhours' from Madonna's album Confessions II. Tinashe put out her eighth album, Popstar, while Blondshell released her third, titled Violins. Country Music Hall of Fame inductee Kenny Chesney delivered his 21st studio album, Silver Sands Marina, an 11-song collection.
Kirk Franklin previewed his forthcoming album with the single 'This Time' featuring GloRilla. Nanpa Básico's 'No Me Morí' blends sensual Latin afrobeats with slow reggaetón undertones. The lyrics include the phrase 'y mirame aquí, yo no me morí, estoy bien sin tí/ claro que lloré, pero me curé/ la vida es así'.
Tinashe builds on past success with new album and charting single
Tinashe's eighth album Popstar arrives two years after Quantum Baby. That earlier project produced her first solo Hot 100 hit with the lead single 'Nasty'. Another track, 'No Broke Boys', reached No. 36 on the Hot 100 thanks to a Disco Lines remix.
On the new album, the track 'Nobody Wanna Dance Anymore' matches the theme of Miley's 'Bass Persuades'. Writing in Billboard, Kyle Denis said, "Popstar is sneakily sarcastic and gloriously sassy, but Tinashe, unlike quite a few of her contemporaries, can actually commit, and back it up."
Michelle Branch's 2001 hit gets a 2026 country-tinged update
Maren Morris and Michelle Branch released a 2026 version of 'Goodbye To You'. This comes nearly 25 years after Branch's original, which peaked at No. 21 on the Hot 100 and was performed by her on Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
The modern version of Branch's 2001 breakout ballad incorporates country instrumentation. It features softer, twangier strings.
Gospel and soul artists preview upcoming work with new singles
Twenty-time Grammy-winning gospel icon Kirk Franklin released 'This Time' as a preview of his forthcoming album I Am What I Am. The track features a guest verse from GloRilla, who previously collaborated with Franklin on the 2024 song 'Rain Down On Me'. It samples Shawty Lo's 'Dey Know' and features brass instrumentation and a choir.
Meanwhile, Grammy-winning soul crooner Leon Bridges dropped Happiness Anytime. This serves as the official follow-up to his 2024 album Leon. Production was assisted by Jungle's Josh Lloyd-Watson and Lydia Kitto.
Emerging artists deliver new projects with notable features
Jae Stephens released her sophomore album Audacity. The project features contributions from Dallas Caton, MNEK, and Pinkpantheress. Pinkpantheress delivers backing vocals on the track 'Crush'.
Kenny Chesney's new album, Silver Sands Marina, features several collaborations. The tracklist includes notable guest appearances.
Another track on the album is 'Remember Me That Way'. This follows last week's guide which featured releases from Miley, Carly Rae Jepsen, and Riley Green. Reflecting on the finality of an encore, Lyndsey Havens mused, "Because after an encore the show really, truly, is done. Right?"
